Exeter-based brake component maker HEL Performance has announced a big investment in new machinery. The firm is spending £1.4m on four new Star CNC SW 20 sliding head lathe machines, vital for making brake hose end fittings, and two new Brother CNC milling machines to cover a wide range of manufacturing processes. The new machines will help in the production of the firm’s brake calipers, master cylinders, oil filter plates, and other parts. HEL has also invested in Lang robot loaders to allow 24-hour operation of the production lines.
Speaking to the Exeter Chamber of Commerce, HEL chief executive Simon Lane said: “We continue to invest in our facility to meet the increasing need of our customers. Through this investment, we will be able to produce 1.25 million more banjo fittings per annum. Bringing in four new machines means that we’ll have one of the largest quotas of Star CNC machines in the UK increasing our manufacturing capability.”